Episcopal Actors' Guild
providing assistance to NYC's professional performers "of all faiths, and none"
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
We believe in the importance of art and artists in our community. However, we know that it is difficult for the performers we serve to maintain consistent employment due to the nature of the industry (shows closing, short contracts for film and tv projects). When a crisis such as an injury or illness hits, it can feel impossible for a performer to stay on their artistic path while keeping a roof over their head and putting food on the table. That's where we come in. Since 1923, EAG has been a safety net for NYC performers in crisis. Not only do we provide an emergency financial grant, we provide a variety of services to support the performer until they can find employment. In the theatre community, we are well-known as a resource where one can receive assistance without judgment. In the current period of escalating living costs and continued closures or production delays due to COVID, the number of applicants has significantly increased.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
The Emergency Aid & Relief Program (EARP)
Since 1923, EAG's primary program has been our EMERGENCY AID & RELIEF PROGRAM (EARP). Through EARP, we provide confidential, expeditious, and compassionate emergency financial assistance and counseling to professional performing artists in New York City. Grants made through our EARP address such crucial issues as rental arrears, eviction, utility shutoffs, emergency medical/dental costs, and sustenance needs. In urgent cases, we can provide a vendorized check on the same day a client applies. We pride ourselves in being one of the only agencies committed to providing IMMEDIATE emergency financial assistance to those in crisis. Funds disbursed through our EARP are outright grants; EAG does not expect repayment, services, or products in return for grants.
EAG helps NYC’s professional performers regardless of religion, race, national origin/ethnicity, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, age, physical/mental ability, political ideology/affiliations, or language.
The HIV/AIDS Program
Our program was an early responder to the HIV/AIDS crisis, helping many stricken individuals during those critical first years. In 1998, we further strengthened our support of this community by establishing The HIV/AIDS Program under a separate budget line, ensuring that PWA applicants do not have to compete with other clients for access to our limited resources. Currently, 20% of our Emergency Aid and Relief Program budget is earmarked for our HIV/AIDS clients.
The Actors Pantry
The Episcopal Actors' Guild's ACTORS PANTRY started in 2014 in response to an increasing number of our professional performing artist clients--particularly those with children, those over age 65, and those with disabilities--reporting hunger and food insecurity when they applied for financial assistance from our Emergency Aid & Relief Program.
Through this program, clients are eligible to receive free, nutritious, high-quality, nonperishable food items from our onsite food pantry to help them weather their crisis. We will also provide clients with one $25 grocery store gift card per month so they can supplement our shelf-stable items with fresh foods. Those who are homebound due to age or disability are eligible to receive $100 in grocery deliveries placed through Instacart each month.
Our clients are welcome to use the Actors Pantry for as long as their need persists. Because we value their privacy, we make this service available by appointment only.
The Headshot Project
Started in 2012, EAG's annual HEADSHOT PROJECT provides free, professional photographs to performing artists who are previous recipients of assistance from our Emergency Aid & Relief Program, giving them a valuable and necessary tool for advancing their careers. This project grew out of the Executive Director's observation that the headshot photos used by her clientele were often outdated and no longer effective in obtaining work; however, the cost of new headshots was often beyond their means.
The Headshot Project has grown from 3 partial days in April 2012 to 6 full days in May 2022. During the days of the Headshot Project, EAG's headquarters are transformed into a photography studio. Clients are provided a session with a professional make-up artist and a professional photographer. Each client receives all their full color, digital shots via Dropbox (or DVD) with free retouching on one photo. We’ll even recommend options for where to go affordable, good quality reproductions.
The Florence James Children's Holiday Fund
Each December, EARP provides supplemental $150 grants through our Children’s Holiday Fund to the young children of our clients who are experiencing a crisis during the holidays.
The Thomas Barbour Scholarships Program
Each year, scholarships are awarded to five students at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and to one theatre student at the University of Missouri (in honor of George C. Scott).
The Thomas Barbour Playwrights' Award
Each year, EAG partners with a local theatre company to present staged readings of three new works by emerging playwrights, with one being given a $500 award.
Artist Afternoon Seminar Series
Performers are often advised to take classes between gigs to keep their skills sharp, but classes and workshops can be prohibitively expensive, so EAG started ARTIST AFTERNOONS in 2015. Through Artist Afternoons, EAG hosts free career development, performance, and self-care workshops. These classes are geared towards performing artists but open to the community at large and cover a variety of topics from tax tips to audition techniques.
Our Artist Afternoons have become a major piece of our outreach and support strategy, allowing us the opportunity to connect with those we serve and those who may benefit from our assistance.
Open Stage Grant
EAG takes pride in our ongoing effort to find new ways to support NYC's performing arts community. Understanding how challenging it is for emerging theatre companies to find affordable space for creating work, we are proud to offer the Open Stage Grant. Through this program, two active and emerging theatre companies are chosen to receive 6 weeks (8 hours per week) of free time in our historic theatre space. With this time, the recipient will be able to rehearse and present a work of their choosing. The residency culminates with 4-8 performances, all of which are ticketed and open to the public, with proceeds being split evenly between the grant recipient & the charitable programs of EAG.
Where we work
Awards
Champion Award 2021
New York Innovative Theatre Awards
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of families assisted with rent or mortgage to avoid eviction
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Artists and performers, Economically disadvantaged people, People with HIV/AIDS, Seniors
Related Program
The Emergency Aid & Relief Program (EARP)
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
EAG provides IMMEDIATE emergency financial assistance to address crucial issues such as rental arrears, eviction, and housing court stipulations. (Data is for each Fiscal Year ending on March 31.)
Number of people unable to obtain or delaying needed medical care
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Artists and performers, Economically disadvantaged people, People with diseases and illnesses, Substance abusers, Pregnant people
Related Program
The Emergency Aid & Relief Program (EARP)
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
EAG provides IMMEDIATE emergency financial assistance for medical bills for surgeries, health insurance, and out-of-pocket medical costs. (Data is for each Fiscal Year ending on March 31.)
Number of low-income households who have received utilities assistance
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Artists and performers, Economically disadvantaged people, People with HIV/AIDS, Seniors
Related Program
The Emergency Aid & Relief Program (EARP)
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
EAG provides IMMEDIATE emergency financial assistance to address crucial issues such as utility arrears and service termination notices. (Data is for each Fiscal Year ending on March 31.)
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
For nearly one hundred years, EAG has been helping to bridge the inevitable gaps that happen in performing arts careers so these artists can keep working in the career of their choice. We know that artistic careers are "real" jobs and we provide a toolkit so that NYC's performers can have longevity in their industry.
Our clients are professional performers (actors, singers, and dancers) who have proof of income from an established and ongoing theatrical career of at least 5 consecutive years. (For performing artists who have retired or gone on disability, we consider the active portion of their career.) To qualify for assistance, an individual must live in one of the five boroughs of New York City or in the surrounding metro area and demonstrate their financial need.
We help people regardless of religion, race, national origin/ethnicity, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, age, physical/mental ability, political ideology/affiliations, or language.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Our primary program is the EMERGENCY AID & RELIEF PROGRAM (EARP) which provides emergency financial assistance and counseling to performers, helping to address such crucial issues as eviction, housing court stipulations, utility shutoffs, emergency medical/dental costs, and sustenance needs.
Through our ACTORS PANTRY (est. 2014), clients can select nutritious food staples to help them weather their crisis. People can choose which foods they want as well as how much they receive and how often.
EAG was an early responder to the HIV/AIDS crisis. In 1998, we strengthened our support of this community by establishing our HIV/AIDS PROGRAM. Currently, 20% of our EARP budget is earmarked for those clients living with HIV/AIDS, who require unique, ongoing help, ensuring that these applicants do not have to compete with other clients for access to our limited resources. In 2017, our board voted unanimously to raise the maximum annual grant for our HIV/AIDS, senior, and disabled clients from $750 to $1000. 15% of our overall clientele are living with HIV/AIDS. 14% of our overall clientele are seniors age 65+.
Through our CHILDREN'S HOLIDAY FUND, the EARP provides 50 supplementary $150 grants annually to the young children of our clients who are experiencing a crisis during the holiday season.
We also work to help our clients to achieve their career goals. In 2012, we introduced the HEADSHOT PROJECT, providing free, professional photographs to clients who otherwise could not afford them. In 2015, we started ARTIST AFTERNOONS, a free monthly career development and self-care seminar series. In 2017, we established the OPEN STAGE grant, providing 2 emerging theatre companies with 6-week space grants in our facilities for rehearsal and performance.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
All three team members (Executive Director Karen Lehman Foster, Assistant Director Rebecca Lovett, and Office Manager Jamie Soltis) have backgrounds in both arts non-profits and performance and continue to develop their skills via seminars. Because we are a small organization, we are easily accessible and personally responsive to NYC's performing arts community.
EAG is governed by a Council of 36 men and women from different areas of the performing arts community. This group meets 5 times a year to provide oversight on our finances, major programs, fundraising efforts, and budgeting. Between meetings, EAG has a very active committee structure. Our 4 person Grants Committee provides oversight to our primary program, the Emergency Aid & Relief Program. This committee regularly meets with the Executive Director to review the details of every grant disbursed. They are also available via email outside of meetings to provide advice. Our Treasurer and Finance Committee regularly meet and review the unaudited financial report provided by staff monthly.
EAG also has a membership base (687 people) that supports our mission through individual giving, volunteering, and spreading the word about EAG. Membership starts at only $30 per year and is open to anyone interested in celebrating the talent and dedication needed to sustain a career in the performing arts.
For nearly 100 years, the Church of the Transfiguration (aka The Little Church Around the Corner) has provided our historic theatre/office space to EAG free of charge. (Value: $85,000 annually)
EAG is part of a coalition of performers’ charities that include the Actors Fund, MusiCares, and Musicians Foundation. This coalition meets monthly to provide the maximum amount of assistance to our shared clients. We also are part of a group that receives federal funding through United Way’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). We work with other EFSP agencies such as Catholic Charities and the Salvation Army.
We make fundraising a priority and have received recognition from organizations such as NY State Council on the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, United Way NYC, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, The Shubert Organization, the Valentine Perry Snyder Fund, Waldman Foundation, and Sermoonjoy Fund.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
EAG has been a steady force for good in the performing arts community for 99 years. We believe we are meeting our criteria for success every day. No qualified professional performer who has asked us for help has ever been turned away.
We work expeditiously and compassionately to ensure that our clients’ needs are being addressed. We pride ourselves on being one of the only agencies committed to providing immediate emergency financial assistance. We provide the client with a vendorized check on the same day they apply and advise them on additional assistance for which they can apply.
In March 2020, by necessity, we shifted all of our programs and services and fundraising efforts online. Our staff of three worked around the clock from home offices, to make sure that NYC’s performing arts community continues to receive the same fast, responsive, and compassionate help that they are used to getting from EAG. In September 2021, we reopened our Manhattan office and our on-site food pantry, moving to a hybrid remote/in-office schedule to best serve our client population.
In our most recently completed fiscal year (April 1, 2020-March 31, 2021), we gave 321 grants to performers and their families. We gave 122 grants for rental arrears. We helped 92 people with utility arrears. We gave 67 grants for sustenance needs such as MetroCards, food, or clothing. And we helped 40 people with medical bills for surgeries, health insurance, and out-of-pocket medical expenses.
In the average year pre-pandemic, we helped approximately 300 people and their families annually with this service. Due to COVID-19 and extended closures of arts and entertainment venues, food insecurity in our client population is at an all-time high. In our last fiscal year, requests for food assistance MORE THAN TRIPLED with EAG providing food to more than 900 performing artists and their families through the Actors Pantry. We have been able to stave off hunger and food insecurity for NYC's performers, especially seniors, people with disabilities, and those with children at home.
We are always listening to our clients and looking for ways to help them achieve their goals.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Episcopal Actors' Guild
Board of directorsas of 05/02/2023
Anthony Newfield
Jennifer Fouché
Peter Von Berg
Fr. John David van Dooren
Eric Stamm
Bernadette Fiorella
Mr. Mierre
Glauco Silva Araujo
Meryl Goodfader
Joan Kane
Sondra Lee
leslie Shreve
Jo Yang
Anstice Carroll
Chris Chinn
Laurel Lockhart
Leslie Middlebrook
Sarah Ann Rodgers
Betsy Ross
Margot Astrachan
Sergei Burbank
Ruthann Daniels
Claudia Dumschat
Steven Hayes
Tyrone Mitchell Henderson
Mervyn Kaufman
Richard Arthur Olson
Margaret Goodman
Reynaldo Piniella
Rachel Leslie
Gary Sloan
JoAnn Yeoman
Teri Black
Patricia McNamara
Bob Ost
Organizational demographics
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Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
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Equity strategies
Last updated: 11/25/2020GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.